Improvement in straw-cutters



tlnirh Seite PHILLIP PETER GROSS, 0F PALMYRA, MISSOURI.

Letters Patent No. 112,241, dated February 28, 1871.

IMPROVEMENT IN STRAW-CUTTERS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the saine.i

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, PHILLIP PETER Gnoss, of Palmyra, Marion county, in the State of' Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Straw-Gutters; and I hereby declare the following to be a full and exact description thereof, reference be ing had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification".

The nature or essence of my invention consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of devices described and claimed in the following speciiication and represented in the accompanying .draw-ing," Vin which- Figure l' is an-elevation of one side of amachine with my improvements. Y Figure 2 is a plan or top view, and

Figure 3 is an end elevation.

In this drawing- A A are four posts, connectedby the four girders B B, to support the cutting-box C, which is made in theform shown, and fastened to the top of the posts A.V

Thehand-lever D vibrateson the bolt E in the post A, and carries the knife F, connected to it by the bolt G.

This knife F is made in the form shown, and its nppei' end is connected to the link h by the bolt I. The other end is fastened to the rock-shaft J, to work it, and vibrates the arm K.- l

This rock-shaft J works in a stand, J', fastened to the post A, as shown in the drawing.v

By the above-described arrangement, when the hand-lever D is worked, thev knife F is carried obliquely across the end of the cutting-box witha drawing stroke,

to cut off. the hay, straw, or other fodder to be eut,-

the end of the box being armed with an iron-plate, L, for the knifeF to cut by as it is carried down by the lever I)A v To hold the knife F up to the end of the box O, I fasten the bent plate M to the posts A A, so that the knife will Work freely between the plate and the end of the box.

To graduate the length of the straw out, I fasten the arm N te the lever D, and fasten the plate P to i the arm, and, by changing the washers on the bolt Q, which fastens the arm N to the lever D, the plate P may be set further from or nearer to the knife, to cut the straw long or short, as desired.

To hold the straw firmly while it is being cut, I make a clamping-block, R, to work in the box C, and fasten the stand S to it, to connect it to the lever T, whiclrworks it, which lever T is fitted to vibrate freely on the rock-shaft J, and is worked by the rod U from the opposite end of the lever l to the lever V, which vibrates on the end of the spring-bar W, fastened to the post A, and held down by the bracket X, fastened to the box C, Y

The inner end of the arm K extends under the lever T, to raise it when required.

'lhe lever V extends beyond its4 fulcrum, and is connected by the link Y to' the arm K, fastened to the rock-shaft J, so as to be worked by it,'to pull up the short end of the lever V, and pull down the lever l with the block R, to clamp and press down the straw under it. v

To operate 'the machine, the workman seizes the lever I) with his right hand and raises itwhich carries up the knife E and turns the rock-shaft J, and raises the clamping-block R,'wl1en he pushes the straw under it with his left hand, and then depresses the lever I), which carries down the knife F and cuts oii' the straw, which operation may be repeated as long as required.

I clailni The combination of the. clamping-block R, lever T, rod U, lever V, lspring-bar W, link Y, and arm K, fastened to therock-shaft J, to work the clampingblock, when arranged substantially as described.

PHILLIP P. GROSS.

IVitnesses:

ANTON HIRNER, J oHN BAUM. 

